Impacts and Mitigation Strategies of Terminal Heat Stress in Wheat: A Systematic Review
Rajan Bhatt
Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Punjab Agricultural University, Amritsar, Punjab, India.
Rajinder Kaur Gill
Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, India.
Himanshu Tiwari *
Uttar Pradesh Council of Agricultural Research (UPCAR), Lucknow-226005, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Ashok K. Garg
Farm Advisory Service Centre, Sangrur, Punjab Agricultural University, Punjab, India.
Mauro Wagner de Oliveira
Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Maceio, Alagoas, Brazil.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Heat stress is a major abiotic limitation in semi-arid and subtropical climates. It causes significant production losses for wheat, a major grain crop, of about 6% for every °C that temperatures rise. Terminal heat stress is a major cause of decreased productivity when the grain-filling phase averages over 31°C. Low wheat yields are caused by excessive temperatures at this important development stage. In recent seasons, typical March and April temperatures were 2-3°C higher than normal, worsening terminal heat stress. Wheat yields dropped two to three quintals per acre. These years' rapid spike in North-West India's maximum and minimum temperatures reduced crop productivity by 8–10%. This review summarised the issue's impact and solution. Wheat matured faster in higher temperatures, resulting in early harvests. Both years, maximum temperatures reached 40°C on March 15 and stayed there or higher throughout the harvest season. This review can help researchers understand terminal heat stress and its boundaries. It demonstrates how conservation agriculture, climate-adaptive cropping, heat-tolerant cultivars, and planting window optimization can all lessen terminal heat stress.
Keywords: Climate change, heat stress, lower land productivity, mitigation and wheat